There is hardly any noise at the Hajvery University campus, on Guru Mangat Road, as volunteers busy themselves with people gathering in the open area to break the fast. They are guided to settle down on the neatly laid out mats.

On regular days, the two-kanal open space functions as a parking lot for hundreds of motorbikes of students. However, during Ramazan, it has been turned into a free iftar (or langar) point for hundreds of deserving individuals.

The rows of mats are arranged well ahead of sunset, and plates full of pakoras and fruit chaat are placed strategically at regular intervals, ensuring that each person has access to a hearty meal and a refreshing drink. The guests start arriving at the venue 15 minutes before the scheduled iftar time. Moments before the siren is heard, 800-odd persons have been comfortably seated.

“Our daily iftar meals cater to approximately 800 people in an orderly fashion,” explains Akhtar, the administrator of the place. “Given our elaborate setup, the guests exhibit great discipline. There is no hullabaloo ever.”

Following the iftar snacks, the guests are offered a hearty meal. The menu keeps changing: today, they are being served biryani. On other days they are treated to chicken qorma and gurr walay chawal, Akhtar says.

Muhammad Sadiq, a fruit vendor in the nearby market in Makkah Colony, is among those enjoying the iftar meal at the varsity campus. This is his third time here this Ramazan. He says, “Usually, I visit another langar which is also in Gulberg. The fact is, we’ve got a good choice [of free iftar points] in the area. There are a number of philanthropists and charity organisations who arrange iftar as well as sehri for the poor.”

For Sadiq, a resident of Chunian in Kasur, and his companions, these complimentary meals hold great significance. “These help me save up to Rs 400 daily; that’s a good amount of money that I can keep for other expenses,” he adds. He’s sure the money thus saved will come in handy during the Eid holidays when there’s no business as shops remain closed.

In recent years, the cost of living has risen in Pakistan, making it increasingly challenging for people to afford their basic meals. Most food prices have surged by 10 to 30 percent. Consequently, a lot of people are forced to rely on such handouts during Ramazan, a month during which prices are known to rise.

It’s also a month in which acts of philanthropy are carried out by affluent families, business organisations and charity organisations who extend the alms and offer free iftar and sehri to those in need. On the busy, commercial streets of Gulberg, this scribe discovered at least 30 such langars.

One such langar is arranged in the lawns of a private banquet hall on Guru Mangat Road, where Asim, the manager, receives 200-250 people, including women, every evening. They are offered sumptuous meals that include dessert and snacks such as samosas and dahi bhallay.

Beyond these roadside langars, mosques stand as great pillars of support, offering free meals to the needy. In the Jinnah Park mosque, a dedicated group of individuals arranges free iftar meals daily. Similarly, many businesses extend their benevolence to both their employees and the community at large in the holy month of Ramazan.

When it comes to philanthropy, the Police Department refuses to be left behind. They are currently reaching out to the transgender community in Lahore. Zanaya Chaudhry, a police official at a Police Khidmat Markaz, says that the department serves free meals to transgender groups every day at different locations in the city. “The meals are provided by a charity called Al-Khidmat Foundation. The department engages its human and logistic resources to feed the groups.”

Nasir, the owner of a catering service, says his business thrives during Ramazan, thanks to the various langar spots in the city. He also talks of an “unprecedented surge in food philanthropy since the pandemic hit the world four years ago.”

So far in this Ramazan, Nasir has been “preparing 25-30 degs every day for my clients, who then distribute those among the needy at iftar time.” His clients include a few business points close to the Siddiq Trade Centre on Jail Road, and two wedding halls. He says that although the cost of a deg has increased, his clients can afford it, so that there has been no drop in his business.

While many of the philanthropy centres are run by industrialists, the question arises as to what is the state doing to address food insecurity. The people deserve a basic standard of living.

There’s another side to the charity story: it remains largely unregulated. It is imperative that both public and private entities work hand in hand and ensure that no one is left behind, and that the spirit of compassion continues to thrive, illuminating the path towards a more equitable society.

Dr Qais Aslam, the former head of Economics Department at Government College University, Lahore, acknowledges the trend of langars and charity during Ramazan with caution. He contends that the primary metric for assessing charity in Pakistan remains the volume of Zakat. However, given our extensive informal economy, accurately quantifying charitable contributions, even during ordinary days, marked by a prevalence of beggars, is daunting.

“In my view, much of the charity originates from people relying on illicit and unrecorded incomes,” he says, adding that the culture of charity, if in monetary form, affects the economy in two ways. One, it helps tax evasion by those who give; and secondly, it enhances the demand side towards circulation of money among the have-nots. This reduces hunger in the economy and acts as a safety net against poverty.

According to Dr Aslam, regulation of charity drives is meant to ensure that the money does not fall in the hands of terrorists and that the charity organisations actually spend the money on the needy rather than on the lifestyle of the directors of these organisations. Also, it is important to document the needy so that the charity money is not spent on professional beggars and/ or middlemen.

The writer is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and  entrepreneurship